Environmental Toxicology

Paper Code: 
25DENV 501B
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

This course will enable the students to –

  1. Make students familiar with the basic principles of environmental toxicology, including aspects of exposure, toxicity and risk assessment of chemicals in the environment.
  2. Gain skills for assessing the toxico-kinetics and toxicity of pollutants in biological and environmental systems

 

Course Outcomes: 

Course

Course outcomes

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Course Code

Course Title

25DENV 501B

 

Environmental Toxicology

Upon completion   of

this course, students

will:

CO55: Differentiate the Natural and anthropogenic sources of toxicants in the environment

CO56: Judge             the Mechanisms causing toxicity of chemicals in human and environmental components

CO57: Develop the plan for prevention of Environmental contamination by toxicants

CO58: Develop skills to remediate the problem

of environmental toxicity

CO59: Analyse the effects of toxicants on human health

CO60: Contribute effectively in course-specific interaction

Approach       in teaching:

Explicit teaching, Interactive Lectures, Group Discussions, Use of informative videos

Learning activities for the students: Preparation of notes by using reference books, Power point presentations, Weekly class assessment

PowerPoint presentations, Assignments, Class Tests, Semester end examinations

 

12.00
Unit I: 
Introduction, Scope and Importance of Toxicology
  • Areas and Branches of toxicology
    • Scope and importance
    • Types of toxicants
    • Molecular and biochemical effects of toxicants

 

12.00
Unit II: 
Basic concept of Toxicology
  • Dose of Toxicants
  • Effect and response – (acute effects, chronic effects, reversible and irreversible effects and local and systemic effects)
  • Dose response relationship – (graded and quantal response)
  • Absorption, Distribution and Excretion (Basic concept)
  • Bioaccumulation of Xenobiotics

 

12.00
Unit III: 
Transport and Fate of Toxicants in the Environment
  • Sources of Toxicants to the Environment
    • Transport Processes: Advection & Diffusion
    • Transformation Processes
      • Reversible Reactions (Ionization, Precipitation and Dissolution, Complexation and Chemical Speciation)
      • Irreversible     Reactions (Hydrolysis,    Photolysis,     Oxidation-Reduction reactions, Bio-transformations)

 

12.00
Unit IV: 
Toxicity of Metals

·         Sources and toxic effects on humans of

o    Arsenic

o    Lead

o    Cadmium

o    Mercury

·        Toxicity of Pesticides: Organochlorines and Organophosphates Insecticides

12.00
Unit V: 
Food Additives and Contaminants

·         Incidental or indirect additives

·         Intentional or direct additives

o    Antioxidants

o    Flavouring Agents

o    Colour and preservatives

·         Food Toxins

o    Microbial toxins-algal, fungal and bacterial toxins

o    Plant toxins

Essential Readings: 

·         Casarett, & Doull’s. (2008). Toxicology: The Basic Science Of Poisons (7th Ed.). New York: Mcgraw-Hill.

·         Hodgson, E. (2010). A Textbook Of Modern Toxicology. A John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

·         Pandey, K., Shukla, J. P., & Trivedi, S. P. (2011). Fundamentals Of Toxicology. New Central Book Agency.

·         Sharma, P. (2005). Environmental Biology And Toxicology. Meerut: Rastogi Publication.

·         Shaw, I., & Chadwick, J. ( 1998). Prinicples Of Environmental Toxicology. Taylor & Francis Ltd.

·         Wright, D. A., & Welbourn, P. (2002). Environmental Toxicology. New York: Cambridge University Press.

SUGGESTED READINGS

·         Helferich, W., & Winter, C. K. (2001). Food Toxicology. Crc Press

·         Hughes, W.W(1196)ESSENTIALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY: The Effects of Environmentally Hazardous Substances on Human Health .Taylor & Francis.

·         Roberts, S.M., James,R.C. and. Williams,P.L(2015) Principles of Toxicology Environmental and Industrial Applications. Wiley publications

e- RESOURCES

•      Basics of Toxicology http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c09/e4-12.pdf

•      Introduction to toxicology    https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_projects/2003/action3/docs/2003_3_09_a21_en.pdf

•      Branches of toxicology https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/training/toxmanual/modules/1/lecturenotes.html

•      Absorption of toxicants https://nature.berkeley.edu/~dnomura/pdf/Lecture2AbsorptionDistribution.pdf

•      Toxicity of pesticides https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/PI/PI00800.pdf

JOURNALS

•         Journal of toxicology and health

•         Journal of Applied toxicology

•         Toxicology research

 

Academic Year: 
2025-2026
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